July 1, 2019

By Dan Khavkin

Okotoks Dawgs

Okotoks, AB - The opening contest of the three-game series between the Okotoks Dawgs and the Weyburn Beavers proved why these two Western Canadian Baseball League division leaders could meet in the finals in August.

Canada Day Monday was the perfect stage for the Dawgs, performing in front of 5,040 Seaman Stadium supporters, as they beat the Beavers 8-4 .

Mesa Community College hurler and Dawgs starter Nolan Ruff pitched six innings, giving up seven hits and striking out nine batters to improve his record to a WCBL-best 5-0.

The Beavers jumped out to an early lead, scoring two unearned runs without registering a hit off Ruff in the first inning.

But the Dawgs cut the lead in half in the bottom of the first when Oregon State University commit and shortstop Richard Mascarenas belted his second home run of the season.

After the Beavers regained their two-run lead in the top of the third, a sacrifice fly from Brett Esau, of Meadow Lake, Sask., brought the Dawgs to within one again before the Beavers slugger and WCBL home-run leader Jack Barrie socked a solo home run in the fifth inning to restore Weyburn’s two-run lead.

Down 4-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth, the Dawgs would score six runs. The Dawgs had four doubles in the inning before Esau completed the rally with a two-run home run to right-centre field to give the Dawgs an 8-4 lead that they wouldn’t relinquish.

Game 2 between the WCBL’s best continues Tuesday night with the first pitch set for 7:05 p.m.